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Journi is avoiding me, and unexpectedly, I’m annoyed and slightly hurt by this. She won’t even look in my direction. She’s remained glued to Jan’s side sitting on the dock sunbathing. I keep hoping we’ll lock eyes again, but no. And I know she hasn’t so much as glanced at me because I’ve been staring at her so hard that I doubt I’ve blinked. She has to feel my eyes on her. Oh shit… I’ve most likely scared her with my desperate, borderline stalker vibes.
The smell of sizzling hot dogs has my stomach growling. Joshua kicks my foot. “Have you listened to a damn word I’ve said?”
“Yeah, man, of course.”
Joshua gives me a deadpan look. “Bullshit. You’ve been steadily eye-fucking Jan’s best friend—which is the dumbest thing you’ve done to date.”
“Why?”
He laughs and shakes his head. My brother leans closer and begins to explain the situation. “Since there’s no chance in hell that Larissa and I are happening, and Jan is now off the market. So that leaves you and Larissa as Mother’s last hope. Now, I don’t know about Larissa’s mom, but I do know our mother has dedicated this whole weekend to matching you with Larissa.”
My head falls back with a groan. This again? I know this. It’s the whole reason I wanted Journi to stay…or so I thought. Now I think I want her to stay more for my own enjoyment. Joshua points his finger at me.
“No, no. You’re still not getting it. Yes, both mothers have wanted this, but now they’re desperate for it to happen. They’re going to be putting way more pressure on you two. Worse for you, Larissa is all for it. She never wanted me, but you, big brother, she’s hearing wedding bells.”
“We barely talk.” He’s right, and I know it. That’s why I try to limit my conversations with her. I’ve spent years trying not to lead her on.
“I don’t think talking to you is what she’s interested in. You’re attractive enough, not as much as me, of course. Security. Money. Decent enough in-laws. And you’re as loyal as a well-trained lab. Oh, and the whole doctor thing, too.”
“That’s not enough to commit to marriage.”
“Are you shitting me right now? Have you even looked at the dating pool?”
“No. I’ve been busy with med school and residency.”
“Well, you’ve seen the disasters that go through the ER, it’s basically the same. You check off enough boxes.”
That’s comforting. I check off enough boxes in a survey to be considered a catch. I have potential as a life-long partner. What about love? Compatible personalities, at least. Memories of last night surfaces to the forefront of my mind, and I can’t stop myself from laughing.
“What the hell? Oh shit. You’ve lost it. Hey, listen, it’s going to be okay.”
“No.” I cough, trying to stop myself from acting like a loon. “I have seen potential in the ER, believe or not.”
“Not.”
“You’d be surprised. One woman came through and she…she was something else.”
“What happened?”
“I can’t reveal that. But I would’ve dated her.”
Joshua’s pinched eyebrows convey he really does think I’ve lost my mind. Our conversation is thankfully interrupted as Dad calls out asking how we want our hot dogs and Jan’s father tells us to go get the girls on the dock.
“I’ll go,” I offer.
“You’re going to put that poor girl in danger if you don’t watch it.”
I frown at my brother. “What?”
“Food poisoning, a boating ‘accident,’ locked away somewhere until the weekend is over—or worse, you’re married to Larissa. Don’t put anything past our mother and Larissa. Just look. Look over there.”
I follow the direction his head nodded toward. Sure enough, my mother and Larissa are watching with narrowed eyes. When Larissa notices that I’m looking back at her, she waves with a big smile. My mother’s face remains in the same scowl of disapproval from earlier when she walked in on me and Journi. Joshua makes noises imitating the sound effects from the movie Psycho.
“Goodbye, Journi,” Joshua whispers in a mock farewell. He makes an audible sigh. “She seemed like such a nice girl, too.”
“Shut up,” I snap at him. His laughter follows me as I make my way down to the dock.
So does my mother’s calculating eyes.
